This week's menus

A clip-and-save guide to a week's worth of meals

Each day of the week offers a menu aimed at a different aspect of meal planning. There's a family meal, a kids' menu aimed at younger tastes, a heat-and-eat meal that recycles leftovers, a budget meal that employs a cost- cutting strategy, a meatless or "less meat" dish for people who may not be strict vegetarians but are trying to cut down on meat, an express meal that requires little or no preparation, and an entertaining menu that's quick.

Hold the line on food costs with Chili-Stuffed Potatoes. Prepare your own turkey chili or buy it from the grocery store. Bake 4 (8- to 10-ounce) potatoes. Slash the tops and stuff with the heated chili. Top with reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese. Serve with mixed greens and crusty bread. Sliced peaches and leftover cookies make a simple dessert.

Plan ahead: Prepare 6 cups cooked (2 cups uncooked) rice for Friday.

Friday/Meatless

Savory Pilaf is power-packed with fiber and nutrients (see recipe). You'll want a big green salad to go with the rice-bean- vegetable combination, and some multigrain rolls as well. Homemade or store-bought bread pudding is good for dessert.

Saturday/Family

A big, fat, juicy roasted hen, prepared your way and served with lots of whipped potatoes, has all the elements of a real family feast. On the side, fresh snow peas and carrots are colorful and delicious. Toss the peas and carrots with a tablespoon of apricot preserves to present a different flavor. Add dinner rolls. For dessert, Tiffany Pie is dreamy (see recipe).

Beef and Mushroom Dijon (Sunday)

Makes 4 servings

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

3/4 pounds boneless sirloin or top round steak, 3/4 inches thick

cooking spray

8 ounces sliced mushrooms (about 2 1/2 cups)

1 medium onion, sliced

1 (10 3/4 -ounce) can condensed, reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 cups hot cooked rice (1 cup uncooked)

lemon peel for garnish

Slice beef into very thin strips; set aside. Coat a medium, nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat 1 minute. Add mushrooms and onion and cook until softened. Remove pan from heat; spoon vegetables into another container. Wipe skillet with paper towel, recoat with cooking spray and heat on medium-high 1 minute. Add beef and cook 4 or 5 minutes or until browned, stirring often. Add soup, water and mustard. Heat to a boil. Return vegetables to pan and heat through or about 3 minutes. Serve over rice. Garnish with lemon peel.